Heated Water Bowl - Fire Started in Indianapolis, killed 6 chickens and 60k damage

[jsdoms]

I don't put anything "electrical" in my chickens coop and honestly since my chickens go out every morning, their water and food are outside. But it is warmer in NC (not necessarily warm this winter) and I have been puting a heated water bucket outside for them. Its smaller then what I usually use for my horses. If I was still in CT, I would be rethinking using electrical inside....

 

[csaws]

I still think that the wiring is of larger concern though. Most folks opt to get cheap extension cords that are not rated for outdoor use and then proceed to plug them into unsecure outlets. Really just a fire waiting to happen.

If possible, it would be best to use one length of cord from start to finish. And, if you can, protect the plug at the bowl from weather and bedding.

The use of extension cords is a horrible idea, extension cords cause more fires a year than you'll ever know. If you need power at your coop, run permanent wiring. Why anyone would invest hundreds of dollars in a coop and equipment to care for their chickens and a hundred or more dollars in purchasing their livestock/pets (whatever you deem them) and then run extension cords to power the equipment to care for them in the winter is silly at best.

Background on my profession so you understand I know what I'm talking about.... I fight fires for a living, every third day.

 

[jdolder18]

Oh wow. I had no idea we live in central Indiana too. I will definitely be more careful when handling their water bowl heater.

 

[wantedman66]

If done correctly you won't have a problem but you need to have "COMMON SENSE"..

 

[MrsBachbach]

Ya, I know that would be best but I'm not sure I can run 2 cords under my door.  I have the 3-way end outside and it hangs up on a chair so it doesn't get buried in the snow and it's under the overhang on the house.  If we stay at this house, my husband is going to put in an outside electrical box for my coop so the cords aren't going under the back door.  

Just a tip until you get your outside electrical box, you can use a ziplock bag around your 3-way. The thicker freezer type is better. Put the 3 way in the bag, zip it, make a hole on each side for the plugs to go through and connect to the 3 way. Then seal your holes by wrapping with duct tape. That should keep the weather out but I would still keep it off the ground.

 

[schnebbles]

Thank you! good idea. I might at least put it at the top and make it so I can reach in because I have their light and water bowl on it and their light which isn't always on.

 

[MrsBachbach]

I would bet it wasn't. I've had the same cookie tin heater in use for 4 winters now.  It does not get hot enough to ignite anything.  The electric bulb is safely contained inside the tin, which shuts tightly.  I've spilled water on it with no problems, as the water cannot get to the bulb.  I'll say this, I trust that cookie tin far more than I would trust some fifty some odd dollar,  RedChinese, slave labor produced piece of junk like I've seen out there.  With the heating element exposed. Looks like a fire waiting to happen.  And when the element craps out, it's done, just throw it out and pay another fifty.  And that may be one night, or a year, it's a roll of the dice with that piece of junk. But it will crap out.  Meanwhile, I just might have to but another bulb in mine and continue on. 

I hope you stocked up on those bulbs to last a lifetime. The new bulbs won't heat crap. I shudder to think of how many chicks will die because people wont know the new bulbs do not put out any heat.

 

[Patuxent]

So sorry to hear this. This is our first year keeping chickens and I've been afraid of electrical to the coop from the get go. We would have to run a heavy cord and the coop is too close to our house if the worse ever happened. The girls seem to have acclimated to their first winter and we just run water containers back and forth several times a day when it's real cold, especially when they're not out like today. I can't believe they're even laying eggs, but that slowed down a few days ago with the four that were laying daily.

 

[kwhit]

Bad news

This is my first year with 6 layers. Their coop is a 4x4x4. They roost in it at night and I do not light it, heat it, or put water in it. Their heated water bowl is outside and I only plug it in when we're are in the teens and lower during the day. I like this bowl so far it has worked great. Like another person said it just keeps the water from freezing. And it is plugged in to a GFI outlet. The only time I have seen any ice was when we were literally at 0 degrees and below. I also learned that chicken don't like to step in snow. We had a storm several weeks ago and they would not come out of their coop. (they came out when I shoveled

) I had to put their food and a small water pail in their coop. I wasn't pushing the issue because we were having below zero wind chills. I figured they were more likely to perish from the cold if they did go out of the protection of the coop. We are getting several inches of snow tonight and into tomorrow so I will be repeating the routine again, but not with the heated bowl. I'll just suck it up and use the bucket for the time being until I get out there and shovel their pen

.

 

[wantedman66]

I couldn't agree more with you JACK E Chinese crap a complete rip off I've use cookie tins and have for a few years i have 1 in the coop and 1 in there run,I never had a problem and they work great.